Final Expansion :: Manual + FE3 Wedge docu

[Diddl]

Some times arrives me emails with the question if it will give a manual for FE3 users. So I decided to make a public WIKI for FE3.

I am using the free software DOKUWIKI cause I think for this purpose it seems to be right.


So it is not finished, it is not perfect and of course, it is currently only in german language ...

... but a start is done.


FE3 WIKI

FE3 manual

FE3 Wedge Docu



If anyone want to help, if anyone want to translate in any language, feel free to send me a PM or eMail and I will give you an account for WIKI write permission.


DokuWiki is easy to learn. it is impossible to make things worse.

You can look inside the german text code (source). You can copy it and make for example an english page (:en - english, :de - german) or a french one.

Simply translate and change all links from :de to your page.

You can use same pictures or upload own if you want.

[Diddl]

FE3 WIKI - translated

[Kananga]

Nice manuals!

There are a few links to general Vic-20 topics on the main page. Wouldn't it be better to link directly into the Denial Wiki for the general topics, like "RAM", "Vic-20", or "Expansion Port"?

[Diddl]

There are a few links to general Vic-20 topics on the main page. Wouldn't it be better to link directly into the Denial Wiki for the general topics, like "RAM", "Vic-20", or "Expansion Port"?

Yes you are right. In Moment this are empty links. It would be much better to link to a denial wiki.



In the meantime FE3 Wedge Docu is half translated.

[orion70]

In the meantime FE3 Wedge Docu is half translated.

Thank you very much for this stuff Diddl. It will help me a lot. Unfortunately, I don't have all the spare time I'd need to dedicate to the FE3 - a few hours in a row, e.g. a whole afternoon, would be perfect, but no way in this period. Same for the Megacart, my new software projects, etc.

[Diddl]

Thank you very much for this stuff Diddl. It will help me a lot.

You are welcome. I hope you can understand my bad english.


Now the FE3 manual page is finished: click

[orion70]

Here I am with my FE3, trying to exploit all its features and learn as much as possible about Wedge commands.

One thing I don't realize, is how to load cart images. I put all zimmers files (and a lot of other stuff) onto my SD card, and happily use Wedge commands and/or Nbla000's loader to browse and load files, which are organized in several folders and sub-folders.
No prob with "normal" prgs, but I can't understand how to load cart images, beacause every time I (cold) reset the VIC, the FE3 main menu appears.

Example:
LOAD"CART-A000",8,1,$A000
LOAD"CART-6000",8,1,$6000
RESET or SYS64802

--> the FE3 menu appears and the carridge image is not loaded.

How can I solve this issue without using the internal cartridge load function of the FE3? TIA .

[Diddl]

Look at this thread


If FE3 menu appears you have a problem
- either Block5 isn't RAM
- or it is RAM but game code isn't in Block5.



VIC20-Ian had same problem to start a cartridge manually:

Defender works with following sequence:

+ Startup your VIC + FE3

+ Quit with F8 (no wedge)

+ Enter sequenze:

POKE 39938,128
LOAD"DEFENDER-6",8,1
NEW
LOAD"DEFENDER-A",8,1
NEW
SYS 64802


- have fun!

[orion70]

Thanks Diddl, will try this tonight!

[orion70]

Quick update for some problems remaining: now with this poke I'm able to correctly load and run 4K and 8K (one file) carts, but still all the 16K (two files) ones won't work. Some of them will come up as garbage screen or static colors (e.g. Poleposition, a green line on blue background), but most of them simply don't load: as I reset, the FE3 screen comes up.

I also see there's a F5 - CART LOADER feature in FE3: maybe I'll stick with it, after learning how it works reading the manuals (I guess there's a configuration file to setup and/or prgs to flash into the FE3?).

Thanks for any help .

[Diddl]

Quick update for some problems remaining: now with this poke I'm able to correctly load and run 4K and 8K (one file) carts, but still all the 16K (two files) ones won't work. Some of them will come up as garbage screen or static colors (e.g. Poleposition, a green line on blue background), but most of them simply don't load: as I reset, the FE3 screen comes up.

Do you meen manually or with diskloader? With diskloader every game is running fine.


Manually you maybe have simply the problem with BASIC

After a LOAD the BASIC end pointer points to the end of the loading area. So no more space for string variable is free and you will get memory problems.


If you want to start 16K games (8k at $6 and 8K at $A) you will have to
+ limit BASIC memory to $6
+ load first part
+ enter NEW so BASIC pointers are corrected again
+ load second part
+ enter new
+ start the game with RESET or with SYS


Using diskloader is much simplier. Did you get my SD package?

I also see there's a F5 - CART LOADER feature in FE3: maybe I'll stick with it, after learning how it works reading the manuals (I guess there's a configuration file to setup and/or prgs to flash into the FE3?).

Thanks for any help .

Cartloader simply uses internal flash instead of SD card (diskloader) to load games and programs.

+ Cartloader loads faster than diskloader.

+ you don't need a SD card


To use cartloader you first have to flash somtehing in flash memory. Use for this menu F6,F2

You can flash any game or program already configured for diskloader. Flash menu will show you same selection as diskloader does.

Flashing a game or program is so simple as running it from diskloader.

[orion70]

Got it. Will try all these directions, then update. Thank you very much!

[orion70]

Update: I finally had time to experiment with the LOADER files and disk images Diddl and Ian sent me some time ago, and understood how they work. I'm just at the beginning, but digging the FE3's powerful features is fun and interesting.

I have two more questions:

1) All cart images now work correctly, except from Scott Adams adventures. Ian's LOADER file for those was made recalling a SYS to the correct address; they start, but the words are somehow scrambled, and you can't really play. Here's the loader file at the beginning of their D64 image:

Code: Select all

1 "<DIR>.."
3 +@"cd:<-"
4 +reload
9 :
10 "Adventureland"
11 +"adventure#1",p
14 +sys$7f50
19 :
20 "Pirate's Cove"
21 +"adventure#2",p
24 +sys$7f50
29 :
30 "Mission Impossible"
31 +"adventure#3",p
34 +sys$7f50
39 :
40 "Vodoo Castle"
41 +"adventure#4",p
44 +sys$7f50
49 :
50 "The Count"
51 +"adventure#5",p
54 +sys$7f50

How can I solve this problem?

2) I would like to use the FE3 emulation in VICE. If I create a folder, put all the contents of my SD card in it, and mount the image (FILE > ATTACH CART IMAGE > FE IMAGE > select FE3FIRMWARE.PRG), then the FE3 menu comes up correctly. Pressing F3 (disk loader), I can see all the voices of my menu, with the disk images as listed in the main LOADER file. But selecting a single disk image won't work at all. What should I do to make VICE see those images? Should I put them in a separate, particular folder?

Thanks in advance as usual .

[Schlowski]

Unfortunately you can't have both in VICE - access to a system directory and access to disk images - I stumbled upon the same problem.
For this feature the FE3 emulation would have to attach disk images from inside VICE which it obviously can't as the real machine couldn't chnage disks in the 1541...

So you can only check the "main menu" for itself and then check each disk image separately.

[orion70]

Thanks Schlowski, I was suspecting it . I'll stick to the real machine whenever possible, too bad I can't practice with VICE when travelling with my notebook.

Any idea about getting the adventures to work?